Mobile Apps Development Questionnaire Document

You have an idea for a mobile app that will help extend your business and reach out to new and existing customers. Great! But before you send a development team to work on it, you’ll want to make sure you’ve answered these given below questions:

Do you have a release schedule? Will your app have multiple releases? If you are releasing on multiple platforms do you expect them to launch at the same time?

What assumptions are you making? Do you assume the app works on iOS8 and Android only? Do you assume that you will pay for the cost of server hosting, where iOS and Android both database store on a single platform Or looking to iOS user’s database store on iOS database and Android user’s play store. My Opinion for you - to manage database on single platform with iOS, android and website user, we will create a website also for more users coming through website.

Have you identified and evaluated potential competition for your app? If yes, then has that evaluation been rolled into your project plan?

Will your app have a cost associated with it? Do you have a monetization strategy? If yes, have you thought about how you would do this? Would it cost money to download the app? Would your app require a subscription to use? Would it have in-app advertising? Would you have features that can be unlocked with a cost? Would you use in-app purchases for physical or virtual goods?

What will make this app a success in your stakeholders’ eyes? A certain number of users? An increase in orders? Will analytics need to be incorporated into the app to help measure the success? Developers need to be able to take this criteria into account when gauging success. Ideally, the criteria is measurable, but in some cases that may be very difficult.

Do you have a budget? I get it, no one likes showing their cards, but even a range is helpful when creating a proposal. App development costs are very difficult to estimate because there are so many variables. Knowing a budget allows a developer to work with your budget while keeping in mind your critical features. Developers can help you prioritize your features based on your budget and allow you to get your most important items finished first. It’s always the case that estimates will be as accurate as the project information allows.

Who are your target users? What problem is your app going to solve for your users? Why does a mobile solution solve this problem better than an alternative? What kind of things should they say or do when they use the app? What devices and platforms do they use? Can you do any user research prior to design or development? Put thought into these users and how this app will reach them.

Do you already have the branding for your app or company defined (logos, colors, fonts, etc)? If yes, then great! Plan on providing this information when you first speak to an app development company. If no, the company’s design team can likely assist you with the branding of your app or business.

What risks do you foresee associated with the project, timeline, or other outside factors? Being aware of and discussing project risks early will allow developers to plan accordingly in order to reduce the chance of that risk occurring. An example would be if you have your team setting up the server environment but it won’t be ready for a few months. If the environment isn’t ready on time or has problems, then a domino effect will occur, potentially delaying several people and ultimately the project.

Have you identified and validated any application programming interfaces (API), outside services/systems, or third-party vendors that you want your app to integrate with? If not and you need to, then plan on the time needed to research and validate these things.

Do you anticipate the app needing support once it’s launched? Most app dev companies can support your app with bug fixes and minor improvements after it has been launched.

Can you easily explain your idea and business to anyone? When working with an app dev company, you will be working with people that know their business very well, but they may not necessarily know yours. Some features you want in your app may need to be evaluated to determine how they can be done. This is the consulting part of the cost that you can expect when developing an app. The app shop must take time to understand your business, otherwise the project will suffer.

Are there any existing apps that you would like your app to use as inspiration? Think about other apps that you would like yours to look or feel like.

Do you have any wireframes created? Wireframes are designs that show how the user will experience and interact with the app. If you have created wireframes, have you had anyone with a technical background vet the wireframes? Is everything you want to do feasible on the platforms you are targeting?